Grain-treating apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

R. s. HOUSTON.

GRAIN TREATING APPARATUS;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

Inventor,

Attorhey PATENTED SEPT. s, 1908.

' R. s. HOUSTON. GRAIN TREATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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Wit-n e sses:v

W n r A A ROBERT STANLEY HOUSTON, OF EMERSON, MANITOBA, CANADA.

GRAIN-TEE ATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed October 9, 1907. Serial No. 396,570.

relates to grain treating machines and more particularly to that classof machines of this general class which are adapted towash the grain ortreat it in a bath by which the grain is separated from its accompanyingimpurities, the impurities being skimmed off or otherwise removed, andthe grain delivered practically clean and pure.

Broadly speaking, the machine comprises a tank adapted to contain thetreating fluid, a drum mounted to rotate so that its surface travelsthrough the fluid, means for delivering grain to the drum through thefluid, devices for skimming the impurities from the surface of the fluidin the tank and means for automatically maintaining the level of thefluid at the required height in the tank.

To more clearly understand the construction, operation and use of themachine and the combinations of the several parts of the same,referenceshould be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of thepresent application, wherein like reference characters designatesimilarparts in the several views.

In the drawings: Figure Lis a side elevation of the machine showing thegrain delivery; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig.1 on line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the skimmer and scraper; and, Fig.5 is a plan view of theskimmer and scraper detached.

A tank 1 is provided, mounted in a framework 2 and adapted to containliquid for treating grain. In the framework 2 is revolubly mounted adrum 3 which is closed on one side, as shown in Fig. 3, and so mountedthat its periphery passes throughthe fluid in the tank 1. This drum isdivided into a plurality of compartments 4 adapted to receive grain froma hopper 5 through a spout 6. The spout 6 is so positioned as to deliverthe grain to a compartment 4 through the fluid in the tank. That is, itsposition is such that the grain falls into the fluid just above acompartment 4 and then settles down into the compartment. Thesecompartments, of course, are open inwardly toward the-center of the drumin order to make such delivery to them feasible. The severalcompartments are perforated on one side as at 7 in order to allow thefluid to be drained from the grain as the drum rotates. It should benoticed that the adjacent faces of two compartments are not perforated,but that only a single one of two adjacent faces is so perforated andthat the perforations are in the side of each compartment opposite tothe direction of) rotation of the drum. This arrangement prevents onecompartment from draining into the adjoining compartment as will bereadily understood.

As the drum is rotated, as will later appear, the grain in the risingcompartments will tend to move toward the center of the drum and so fallfrom the open sides of the compartments as they near the highest pointof the drum. To prevent this a guard 8 is provided which is secured tothe frame of the machine and fitted snugly against the open faces of thecompartments.

Attached to the guard 8 and to the framework 2 is a delivery chute 9positioned slightly beyond the vertical diameter of the drum and adaptedto receive the washed grain from the highest compartment of the drum andto deliver it out of the machine. Suitable gearing for driving the drumsuch as a belt 10, passing about the drum and over a pulley 11 fixed tothe shaft 12 driven by gears 13 and 14 and crank 15 may be used. Fordelivering grain from the hopper through the spout to the compartmentsof the drum, a suitable plug valve 16 or its equivalent is connected bya link 17 to an arm 18 adapted to be operated by a lever 19.

As the grain falls frbm the spout 6 into the fluid the chaff, and otherimpurities remain floating on top, and to prevent accumulation of thesame a skimming device has been devised by which the floating materialis removed. The skimmer proper comprises along arm 20 pivotally mountedat a point above the pat of travel of the drum. Preferably this arm ispivoted to a bracket attached to the-delivery chute 9 as shown in Fig.3. The arm 20 is provided with a wide concaved skimmer blade 21 adaptedto skim {or cam surface 23 the upper surface of the fluid above thelower compartment 4 to remove the floating matter. The arm 20 of theskimmer isprovided with a heel 22 ada vted to ride over the star ed'tothe axle 24 of the drum. Each projection of the star or cam will depressthe heel 22 and, of course, raise the arm 20 and skimmer blade 21attached thereto. The Weight of the arm 20 and blade 21 will actnormally to return the same, but in order to assure its positive returna spring 25 is connected at one end to the arm 20 and at its oppositeend to the chute 9, so that it exerts a tension on the arm 20 tending toreturn the same to its initial starting point. I

On reaching its highest point the skimmer is held stationary in itsextreme elevated position for a short period due to the form of the camor star 23 as will be clear, on reference to Fig. 4, thus givingsufficient time for the scraper to remove its contents.

An arm 27 bearing a scra er blade 26 is 'pivotally mounted, as by aracket, on the chute 9 and is adapted to reciprocate in a direction atright angles to the movement of the skimmer and in a lane parallel withthe highest point reached y the skimmer blade his scraper is recirocated by means of a cam surface 28 whic engages at intervals a lug 29on the scraper arm 27 This cam surface 28 preferably is secured to, orformed integral with the cam 23so that they both rotate in unison and isso pro ortioned to the cam 23 that it reciprocates t e arm 27 andscraper blade 26 just at the moment that the skimmer reaches the upperlimit of its travel. In order to insure and assist in the positiveworking of the scraper a spring 30 1s securely attached at one end to anextension of arm-27 and at its opposite end to the chute 9. On referenceto Figs. 3and 5 it will be clear that the skimmings will be removed fromthe skimmer and delivered over the edge of the tank 1 through a sluiceway or the like just inside the shovel board as indicated in dottedlines at 31 in Figs. '1 and 3. It will also be evident on reference tothese figures that the Washed grain will be delivered through the chute9 just outside of the shovel board. From the above it will be clearthatalthough the skimmings and the washed grain are delivered atapproximately the same point, they are nevertheless kept completelyapart.

uring the operation of themachine considerable of the fluid will beabsorbed by the der to keep the uid at the proper operative level a tank32 is placed slightly above one end of the tank 1 and adapted to feedthe fluid into the tank 1 through a spout 33 automatically closed by thefloat 35 in tank 1. It will be readily understood that as the fluid inthe tank 1 lowers the float 35 will fall and the spout 33 will be opento deliver fluid from the tank 32 to tank 1. The supply isautomatically-cut ofl at the proper point as will be obvious.

Many changes in construction, operation, arrangement, and various othercombinations of the several parts of the machine may be resorted towithout in any way departing from the field and scope of the presentinvention and it is meant to include all such in the invention asdisclosed by the present application wherein a preferred form only of te machine is illustrated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A grain treating apparatus comprising, a tank adapted to containtreating fluid, a

a valve 34 operated by drum mounted to rotate above said tank andthrough said fluid, means for delivering the grain to said drum, meansfor delivering the treated grain from said drum, a skimming device, ascraper cooperating therewith, and means carried by the drum to operatesaid skimming device and scraper.

2. A grain treating apparatus comprising, a tank adapted to containtreating fluid, a drum mounted to rotate above said tank and throughsaid fluid, means for delivering grain to said drum, means fordelivering the treated grain from said drum, a skimming device, ascraper cooperating therewith, and cams carried by the drum to operatesaid skimming.

device and scraper.

3. A grain treating apparatus comprising, a tank adaptedto containtreating fluid, a drum. mounted to rotate above said tank and throughsaid fluid, means for delivering grain to said drum, means fordelivering the treated grain from said drum, a skimming device, and acam carried by said drum.

In witness whereof I have hereuntoset my hand in the resence of twowitnesses.

ROB fERT STANLEY HOUSTON. Witnesses:

JOHN D. HAYWARD, L. H. ASHBY.

